A Christmas Wish
by angiedotdotla
Summary: Because the 24th of December can be the best day for surprises.


"…and I _swear_ I only had my back turned for about fifteen seconds, but when I turned around, there was Cecil Thurston, dangling upside down from the Venomous Tentacula and Teddy was just sitting there, looking as innocent as could be. I swear, that kid will be the death of me," Neville finished with a chuckle. He had known Teddy Lupin since he was a toddler, and despite all of the trouble that kid seemed to always be causing, Neville was incredibly fond of him.

Hannah joined his laughter and snuggled deeper into his arms. "From what Harry says, you're getting off easy. If Teddy and James were closer in age, they'd both be at Hogwarts now, and you'd _really_ have your hands full."

"Don't remind me," Neville said with a groan. "As it is, they'll overlap for a year. I can only hope that Teddy will calm down by the time he's a seventh year."

"I wouldn't count on it, love," Hannah tilted her head up and kissed her husband briefly. "It's so nice having you home."

Neville shifted uneasily, well aware that this was the first time in nearly a month that he had been to the flat he shared with his wife. As a Hogwarts professor, Neville had his own room in the castle. Like all of the other professors, he had evenings when he needed to be on site, patrolling the corridors and available in case of emergency. When he first took the position, he would floo home at every opportunity, but lately, his trips had been less and less frequent

Growing up without his parents or any siblings, Neville always dreamed of some day having a big family. While the other kids dreamed of being an Auror, or a Healer, or the Minister of Magic, Neville's only desire was to be a father: the kind of father he was never able to have. Being deprived of a traditional family, all he ever wanted was a family of his own. When he married Hannah, it was like all of his dreams were coming true. Despite not being extremely financially secure (she was a waitress at the Leaky Cauldron, and he an employee in the Dangerous and Deadly Plants division of the Ministry), they had decided to start a family right away.

But it wasn't meant to be. After a year of trying, they took their first visit to St. Mungo's. Over the next four years, they had been to see the Healers countless times. They had taken every potion, tried every spell, but nothing seemed to work. They had finally resigned themselves to the fact that they would never be able to have children, at least not in the conventional manner, and were beginning to investigate alternatives when Tom announced his retirement from the Leaky Cauldron and encouraged Hannah to take over. Shortly after, Neville accepted his position at Hogwarts, and somehow, having a family was pushed to the side. The idea never fully left Neville's mind however. It's hard to let go of a dream.

Their relationship had become strained at times over the years, but when their careers really began to take off, they drifted further and further apart. Neville was resentful of the fact that Hannah had stopped taking the prescribed potions because they began to interfere with her work as new owner of the Leaky Cauldron. Hannah, in turn, became resentful of Neville's constant badgering about them. Finally, he stopped pushing, but he also stopped coming home.

"I'm going to make some hot chocolate, would you like some?" Hannah interrupted Neville's thoughts.

"I'd love some, dear," he replied, planting a kiss firmly on the top of her head before she slipped out of his arms.

After she was gone, Neville got to his feet and stretched. He glanced around the flat and admired the extent to which Hannah had decorated for Christmas. It had been nearly a month since he had been home, and he vowed to himself that he wouldn't let that happen again.

He had missed her terribly while he was away, though he hadn't been able to admit it to himself at first. His father had died two years after the battle of Hogwarts, and his mother the year after that. His gran had passed just last winter. He was glad that she had been alive to see him become a professor.

Hannah was the only family he had left, and over the past month, he had finally come to realize that she was enough. As much as he had always wanted children, he wasn't willing to sacrifice his relationship with Hannah for that opportunity. Having children meant nothing if he couldn't raise them with her. Even if they never had children of their own, he would be content to share his life with Hannah and Hannah alone. She was more than enough.

He stood, staring into the fire, lost in thought when Hannah returned with two steaming mugs. She handed one to him and then wrapped her free arm around his waist.

"Knut for your thoughts, love?"

Neville leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Just remembering some of the Christmases I'd had growing up," he lied. He didn't want to spoil her good mood with his brooding. They stood, like that for several moments, staring into the fire and sipping hot chocolate, until Hannah broke the silence.

"Come on, Neville, let's each open one gift tonight."

He smiled fondly at the tone of excitement in her voice. "All right, but only one, and I get to choose which you open."

"As long as I get to choose for you as well," she grinned in response.

"Deal," he replied pulling a small box out of the pocket in his robes and presenting it to her.

Hannah narrowed her eyes at him, placing her hands on her hips. "What happened to not buying each other gifts, Neville?" He and Hannah always made an agreement not to buy each other Christmas gifts, but in their seven years of marriage, they had never once kept it.

Neville could tell by the gleam in her eye that she wasn't at all angry or surprised, so he merely shrugged, a half-smile upon his face.

"Must've slipped my mind. Besides, I didn't _actually_ buy anything, so I can't be in trouble."

She rolled her eyes at him and accepted the package, moving to set down her hot chocolate and settle herself on the couch. Neville followed and sat down next to her.

"I hope you like it," he continued, feeling a little nervous now that she was actually opening his gift.

She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I'm sure I'll love it," she smiled as she pulled off the red ribbon and began to tear the bright green paper. She opened the small box and gasped. "Neville, it's absolutely stunning!" she exclaimed, lifting the necklace from the box to examine it more closely. Hanging by a delicate silver chain was a small crystal circle with a tiny, perfectly preserved, pale pink flower inside.

"It's a real flower," Neville supplied, "I grew it myself, a 'trailing arbutus' it's called. The flowers are usually white or pink and are very small and delicate while the leaves and stem are quite tough and hearty; we sometimes use the leaves in strengthening solutions." He was quite a fan of the plant. It reminded him a lot of Hannah, actually. She was beautiful, sweet, and appeared to be quite delicate, but he knew her to possess a strength and resilience that few would ever believe possible by looking at her. However, he wasn't sure how that description would go over with his wife, so he chose to gloss over it and instead, inform her of the other, more important reason he had chosen it.

"Traditionally, it means, _thee only do I love_." He ducked his head, unable to look at her as he continued. "I mean it, Hannah. You're everything to me. As long as I have you, I don't need anything…anyone else."

He felt her hand reach out and cup the side of his face, and he raised his eyes so they met her own. When he saw her tears, he knew that she understood everything he was trying to convey. "Thank you, Neville. It's perfect," she said softly before leaning over to kiss him once more. "Would you fasten it for me?" she asked as she pulled away.

Neville nodded, smiling slightly and blinking back his own tears as she turned her back to him and lifted her hair out of the way. He fumbled with the clasp for several seconds before he was able to fasten it, and placed a kiss delicately on the nape of her neck as he finished. "I love you," he murmured, his lips still brushing her skin. Hannah shivered slightly as she allowed her hair to fall and turned back towards him.

"What do you think?" she asked, adjusting the pendant over her cardigan.

"You look beautiful," Neville muttered. "Granted, you always look beautiful…" he trailed off as he leaned in to kiss her softly. Hannah met him halfway, tangling her hand in his dark hair.

She pulled away suddenly.

"Ok, now it's your turn!" Hannah exclaimed excitedly, causing Neville to start slightly in surprise. She got up from the sofa and went over to the small pile of gifts under the tree. "Here," she said, picking up a middle sized package wrapped in gold wrappings and returning to her husband. "This one is from me."

"What happened to not buying each other gifts, Hannah?" he mocked, placing his hands upon his hips in an imitation of her earlier.

"Must've slipped my mind," she tossed back with a smirk, but her gaze became suddenly serious once more as she reached out and took his hand. "Before you open this, I want you to know how much I love you, Neville. You're everything for me, and these past seven years have been the best of my life because I was with you." She fingered the pendant with her other hand as she continued. "I'll treasure my gift and everything it represents. I hope you will as well."

He looked up at her with concern. "Is something wrong, Hannah?"

"Not at all, everything is wonderful. Open it," her serious demeanor had ended and she was grinning widely once more as she squeezed his hand firmly before letting it go.

He held her gaze for another few seconds before his curiosity overwhelmed him and he turned once more to the package in his hands. He tore into the gold paper and apprehensively pulled out the box inside. He glanced up at Hannah, the excitement written all over her face as he slowly opened the box and pulled back the tissue paper.

Inside, Neville found a tiny pair of yellow socks. He thought Hannah had probably knitted them herself, but he couldn't imagine why. "They're lovely, dear, but I think they might be a bit small for me," Neville said after several moments, confusion clearly visible on his face.

"They aren't for you, love," Hannah responded, chuckling at his expression. "They're for him," she continued, placing her hands gently upon her stomach, "or possibly her…I'm not sure yet."

The confusion remained on Neville's face for just a moment longer before his eyes grew wide. "Honest, Hannah? Y-you're pregnant?"

Hannah's grin began to fade as she slowly nodded her head. Without warning, Neville's arms were around her and he was pulling her tightly against his chest. Tears streamed down his face and he made no effort to stop them. Hannah wrapped her arms around him in turn and they sat there holding one another for several minutes.

"Love?" Hannah broke the silence, pulling away from her husband and looking him in the eye, "Are you alright?"

Neville laughed loudly, a grin spreading widely across his face, "I'm brilliant, love! Absolutely brilliant!" He jumped to his feet and pulled her up after him. Holding her in his arms, he began to twirl the two of them around the room in a dance of pure, ecstatic joy; the only music, the sound of their combined laughter. As the spinning slowed, he pulled her closer as they continued to sway back and forth. "I meant what I said before, Hannah. You're more than enough for me, but this," he placed his hand gently upon her belly, "is what I always wished for."

Hannah smiled softly and laid her head against his chest, listening to the beat of his heart, and imagined that hers and the baby's were beating in unison with it.

"Happy Christmas, Neville."

"Happy Christmas, Hannah."

**A/N: *sniff* Merry Christmas :]. Sorry if this came out a bit late—I just came back from Florida. Please Review! **


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